Boston officials grapple with impact of new FEMA flood maps

The number of businesses affected could balloon from 250 to nearly 4,000.

November 22, 2013 |

BD+C Staff

New federal maps for Boston significantly expand the number of homes and businesses in areas considered at high risk of flooding, a change that could force thousands of property owners to purchase expensive insurance and complicate redevelopment along the city’s waterfront.

The number of businesses affected would also balloon from 250 located primarily along the city’s wharfs to nearly 4,000 stretching inland to downtown and encompassing new development along the South Boston Waterfront.

The city will hire a consultant to review FEMA’s data and ensure its accuracy, said Brian Swett, the city’s chief of environment and energy. But, he added, “I don’t anticipate any slowdown in construction.”

The report, “Spending Through the Roof,” says that apartment building owners pay an average of $3,400 a year to replace heat lost through the roof. In taller buildings, the cost can be more than $20,000 a year. Illustration: Urban Green Council